Google, the internet giant is in talks with the Indian government to pilot a project to provide internet by using large balloons which will be floating at a height of 20 kilometers above the earth’s surface to transmit Internet services.
According to an official source, who told PTI, “Google approached government to set up the Loon project and Drone-based Internet transmission. The government has approved testing of Loon project only as of now. A committee under chairmanship of Secretary, DEITY, has been formed to work on it,”
Using the 4G or LTE technology each balloon is said to be capable of streaming internet to an area measuring 40kms in diameter. Google is expected to partner with BSNL for testing this technology. The Baloon will be equipped with solar panels and wind to power the balloons through the day.
The broadband spectrum which will be used is 2.6GHz band and this technology is said to have the potential to replace cell towers and it is capable of transmitting 4G network to mobile phones. Even other devices which are capable of using the LTE spectrum can work with the signals from this.
To use LTE, Project Loon partners with telecommunications companies to share cellular spectrum so that people will be able to access the Internet everywhere directly from their phones and other LTE-enabled devices.
This is a great initiative by Google to bring technology which has been already tested in New Zealand, California and Brazil.
